Control valve device

Abstract

A control valve device including a body member having two input ports and an output port is provided with a chamber which communicated with each port therein. A valve member is received in the chamber and is freely movable in the chamber to control fluid communication between either of the input ports and the output port. A piezo-electric element engaged with the body member thrusts the valve member toward either of the input ports by the impression of voltage thereto. A valve hold member holds the valve member for closing either of the input ports by the valve member. The device is changed over by the impulse of the momentary transformation of the piezo-electric element generated when the piezo-electric element is impressed with the voltage.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
       1. A control valve device for changing over a direction of fluid flow, comprising: a body member having two inlet ports and an outlet port, said body member defining a chamber communicating with said inlet ports and said outlet port;   a valve member freely movable in said chamber for movement between two sealing positions for alternately sealing respective ones of said inlet ports;   valve hold means associated with each of said inlet ports for maintaining said valve member at a respective one of said sealing position; and   means for selectively thrusting said valve member away from a respective one of said sealing positions and towards an other one of said sealing positions,   wherein said thrusting means comprises a piezo-electric element associated with each of said ports, each one of said piezo-electric elements being positioned such that said one piezo-electric element will change volume in a direction so as to apply a thrusting force to said valve member when a voltage to said one piezo-electric element is changed and said valve member is at a sealing position for a respective one of said inlet ports corresponding to said one piezo-electric element.   
     
     
       2. The device of claim 1 wherein said inlet ports are in coaxial linear opposition to one another. 
     
     
       3. The device of claim 2 including opposing cylindrical projection portions of said inlet ports extending into said chamber. 
     
     
       4. The device of claim 3, wherein said piezo-electric elements are each engaged with one of said projection portions. 
     
     
       5. The device of claim 4, wherein said valve hold means comprises a valve hold member adhered to each of said piezo-electric elements, each of said valve hold member having a central hole in fluid tight communication with a respective one of said inlet ports. 
     
     
       6. The device of claim 5, wherein said valve member comprises: a seal portion; and   plunger portions extending from opposite sides of said seal portion and in such directions that one of said plunger portions is inserted in a central hole of a respective one of said valve hold members when said valve member is in each of said two sealing positions.   
     
     
       7. The device of claim 6, wherein valve hold members are permanent magnets and said valve member is made of a magnetic substance. 
     
     
       8. The device of claim 7 including valve seat means comprising a disc plate adhered to opposing faces of each of said piezo-electric elements, wherein said seal portion of said valve member sealingly engages one of said disc shaped plates in each of said sealing positions. 
     
     
       9. The device of claim 8 including a spring biasing apart said disc shaped plates. 
     
     
       10. The device of claim 7 wherein said piezo-electric elements and said valve hold members are cylindrical.